Because You Love Me

85. The Truth About Scabbers

 He tried his best to be gentle, but Ron was twisting and squirming so bad that it was hard. He stopped at the bottom of the rickety old staircase and growled at him in frustration. If he had any hope of getting him to the top of those stairs, he was going to have to reveal himself. In the blink of an eye, Sirius was on two legs again. He scratched his stomach and a few other places for a moment, and then his eyes fell upon Ron.

"I'm going to pick you up," Sirius told him. "I know you won't want to walk on that leg."

Ron's eyes were as big as galleons. "You're-"

"Sirius Black. Yes. I know."

He scooted back. "Don't touch me."

"I'm not going to hurt you, Mr. Weasley. I'm just going to take you to the top of those stairs. Hang on around my neck and be sure you don't let go of that rat."

He gulped. Why, all of a sudden, was everyone so interested in his rat? Sirius bent down and scooped his hand under Ron's legs. Ron reluctantly put his arm around the man's neck and held on. Scabbers was squirming hard in his other hand, but he kept a tight grip on him. Sirius hoisted him up effortlessly, and carried him up the stairs.

The room they went into was a tiny one, but there was a bed with warm covers that looked like it had been recently used. Ron realized that this was where Sirius had been staying all along. The Shrieking Shack wasn't haunted, the elusive prisoner of Azkaban had made this his home. Sirus sat him gently down on the bed and stretched his legs out for him.

"Now, you shouldn't be too uncomfortable."

Ron gulped again. This man was a dangerous criminal and he was alone with him. This didn't look good at all.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed in the distance. Sirius looked up, but he wasn't surprised. He knew Harry and Hermione would probably follow him. He didn't care though. He had just one mission and he was going to carry it out tonight. He turned to Ron and rested his index finger against his lips. He showed him his wand, silently threatening him to stay quiet. Ron nodded his head. He understood. Sirius hid behind the open door and waited.

Downstairs, Harry and Hermione had just come up out of the floor through a trap door. Hermione gasped.

"This is- We're in the Shrieking Shack, aren't we?"

Harry looked around. He had never been inside of it, but there was no doubt in his mind. "Looks that way." He took her hand. "Come on."

They headed up the stairs together. There was a doorway there, and through it, they could see Ron sitting on the bed. Harry threw caution to the wind and ran inside.

"Ron! Are you alright? Where's the dog?"

Relieved to see his friends, he pointed behind them. "He's not a dog, Harry. He's an animagus!"

Harry and Hermione whirled around just as the door closed. Sirius was standing there in his muddy and torn prison uniform, glaring at Ron. He was supposed to keep quiet. Hermione immediately moved in front of Harry.

"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" she exclaimed. She was holding tightly to his arms.

"No," Sirius said calmly. "Only one will die tonight."

Anger rose within Harry, mixed with fear and uncertainty. He forcefully moved out in front of Hermione.

"And it's going to be you," Harry said through gritted teeth. He got out his wand and aimed it at him. "Just tell me one thing. Why do you want to kill me?"